Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft 16 and caught shoplifgting

[stupidmistake]

Recently I made the worst decision of my life. I went to visit my cousin who is 18 and we went to a mall in California and we were got caught shoplifting. Our amount together was under $300 from the store we got caught in. They had caught us on tape. But we also had other merchendise from other stores as well,which i dont think they added up. So some people from the other stores came and took their things and left. We sat in the back room for about 2 hours waiting for the cop while the guard typed something up on the computer. When the officer got there he sorted out everything and wrote down alot of things and took pictures(what was that about?) That night my cousin went to jail and my aunt had to come pick me up from another county. when the officer gave me the papers that night they said FELONY on them and something about commercial burglary. i will be sent to court soon. I live with my aunt who recently took legal guardianship of me. My social worker told me that they willl be dropping the case soon and ill live with my aunt who will have custody of me until I am 18. But we are not sure if the process is complete.
I am really scared that i will be sent to juvenile hall or removed from my aunt.

my questions are:

-because i was in the system does that mean i will be sent to juvinile hall?
-who decides if i get sent there?
-can the felony be dropped to somthing less severe?
-how long will this be on my record? can i still get a job?
-does my aunt see the video in court?
-are me and my cousin going to be in the same court room together?
-am i going to have to talk on the stand?
-how much will i have to pay?
-will i be on probation?

thank you for all your help. and please give me as much detail as possible.

 

[thelawjournal]

-because i was in the system does that mean i will be sent to juvinile hall?If convicted of felony that is possible yes
-who decides if i get sent there? Judge
-can the felony be dropped to somthing less severe?Possibly talk to a lawyer
-how long will this be on my record? Forever can i still get a job?Yes if they dont mind felons
-does my aunt see the video in court?If shes in court and video is played there
-are me and my cousin going to be in the same court room together?No
-am i going to have to talk on the stand?Thats up to your Lawyer
-how much will i have to pay?Depends on court
-will i be on probation?Yes

thank you for all your help. and please give me as much detail as possible.stupidmistake

Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:28 pm
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[CdwJava]

Recently I made the worst decision of my life. I went to visit my cousin who is 18 and we went to a mall in California and we were got caught shoplifting. Our amount together was under $300 from the store we got caught in. They had caught us on tape. But we also had other merchendise from other stores as well,which i dont think they added up. So some people from the other stores came and took their things and left. We sat in the back room for about 2 hours waiting for the cop while the guard typed something up on the computer. When the officer got there he sorted out everything and wrote down alot of things and took pictures(what was that about?)

The pctures were to preserve the evidence and to show what the items were. if they took photos of you two and what you were carrying, that is for the same reason - and to identify you.

That night my cousin went to jail and my aunt had to come pick me up from another county. when the officer gave me the papers that night they said FELONY on them and something about commercial burglary.

Yep. You and your cousin are accused of entering the store (and likely the others) with the intent to commit theft. That is a felony in California - we call it "burglary".

i will be sent to court soon. I live with my aunt who recently took legal guardianship of me. My social worker told me that they willl be dropping the case soon and ill live with my aunt who will have custody of me until I am 18. But we are not sure if the process is complete.

Why would they DROP the case against you? Are you going to testify against your cousin?

I don't know that I'd be so sure they will drop the case. Unless they have some compelling reason to do so, there is no reason for them to drop the matter.

I am really scared that i will be sent to juvenile hall or removed from my aunt.

Juvenile hall is a real option. Being taken from your aunt is not likely unless she is somehow sees as unfit.

-because i was in the system does that mean i will be sent to juvinile hall?

It means you MIGHT go there, not that you WILL go.

-who decides if i get sent there?

The judge.

-can the felony be dropped to somthing less severe?

Yes. They will probably offer a plea to misdemeanor shoplifting if this is a first offense.

-how long will this be on my record? can i still get a job?

Forever, and, yes. When you turn 18 and have completed any probation assigned to you, you can petition the court to seal your juvenile record. That will help in the future when dealing with employers, but it won't make the arrest go away so far as the government is concerned.

-does my aunt see the video in court?

If she is present in the court and they show the video, yes.

-are me and my cousin going to be in the same court room together?

Assuming you are being tried as a juvenile, no.

-am i going to have to talk on the stand?

Probably.

-how much will i have to pay?

A civil assessment of up to $500 from each store you stole from, and fines and fees for a petty theft probably nearing $2,000 upon conviction. But, the latter will depend upon WHAT you are convicted of. If convicted of burglary, it will probably be more.

As a side note, the juvenile court will not find "guilt, per se, they will establish a "true finding" of the facts ... that's juvenile court's version of "guilty".

-will i be on probation?

Probably.

- Carl

 

[stupidmistake]

ok i have some more questions.

my cousin has a lawyer friend and he said that he could get her charges dropped to a misdemenor or even trespassing. and she is 18. do i have to get a lawyer for them to do that to mine too??

oh and the whole "dropping the case" thing, that case was for the legal guardianship to be finalized, not this matter. does that change anything?

will the social services (my social worker) find out about this?

if it gets dropped to a misdemenor will the judge still be likely to send me to juvenile hall??



thank you for all the detail in the last letter.

 

[thelawjournal]

If your consulting a Lawyer then that is where your legal advice should come from

 

[Guest]

my cousin has a lawyer friend and he said that he could get her charges dropped to a misdemenor or even trespassing(Then hire this Lawyer. Personally I think hes blowing smoke up your rear). and she is 18. do i have to get a lawyer for them to do that to mine too??Yes)

oh and the whole "dropping the case" thing, that case was for the legal guardianship to be finalized, not this matter. does that change anything? (If there is a current guardianship case ongoing its unrelated to this criminal case. could it impact it? Yes it could)

will the social services (my social worker) find out about this? (Its public information so yes they could)

if it gets dropped to a misdemenor will the judge still be likely to send me to juvenile hall?? (Only the Judge can answer that)